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More Research Is Needed, or So They Say
Jesse Singal’s ‘compliment sandwich’ is manufacturing ‘debate’ on trans kids’ healthcare
Two years ago, there was joy on Twitter when anti-trans journalist Jesse Singal temporarily exited the platform. I mention this to let you know that I know who he is and how many people feel about him.
A couple days ago, he had a thousand-word guest essay in the New York Times: “Trump’s Attack on Trans Youth Research Is a Tragic Error” (March 27, 2025).
It’s crafted in a way that may appear trans-friendly. Unfortunately, that’s deceptive. I want to deconstruct it as an example to show how these op-eds are formed.
The introduction and conclusion basically look OK
There’s nothing wrong with the first three paragraphs. These look supportive of trans people. The author is saying that President Trump’s anti-trans hostility manifests in part through his defunding of healthcare research, which affects trans adults and trans kids alike. That’s correct.
Singal’s two concluding paragraphs also could be read as supportive of trans people. Granted, we may raise an eyebrow at the term “biological sex” since it’s often used to make anti-trans points. And especially as we know who the author is, we may question what he means when he uses the term “gender-questioning youth” (a category including but not limited to trans kids), what it means to him that they “suffer,” and how he (a non-scientist) personally would assess what the “best science” would be. But generally, these two paragraphs are OK. He’s saying that healthcare research ought to be nonpolitical, that thoughtfully designed healthcare can be efficient from the government’s point of view, and that we humans owe it to each other to provide care that actually helps people.
